ArghZombies

-O.G.

[starberry-cupcake]

the phantom of the opera by gaston leroux reads like an intense true crime podcast with a host super into this specific story, frankenstein by mary shelley reads like the most intense AITA reddit post you've ever seen and dracula by bram stoker reads like an unhinged discord server dedicated to calling out one creepy sus dude

this is why they're classics and they still slap, context can vary but good stories are forever

[arghzombies]

This is so very accurate.

And, yes, Victor, you are 💯% the asshole.

[arghzombies]

Not even my favourite PonR, but this is definitely accurate.

@yourbxsicwitch

[arghzombies]

Fanfiction

I'll never not be amused by how certain throwaway details from a story--dramatic scaffolding, if you will--become load-bearing narrative foundations within fanfiction.

e.g. The curse Hermione receives from Dolohov during the Department of Mysteries battle in Harry Potter.

What are your favourites?

[yayyapx3]

I like reading fanfics set after the plots of poto where christine is healing from sa trauma, even though I do NOT think leroux erik would ever have it in him to assault her or even come close to it because I still think christine would feel violated from the whole situation.

a lot of people have brought up that she takes on a christ like role by showing compassion to the damned and redeeming a sinner (CHRISTine duh,) but not many people mention the fact that this role was forced onto her more than chosen. The compassion and the pity and - if u c it this way - the love feels for erik are all things she speaks about as if they are weights on her shoulders, almost as if all the compassion she feels for erik were born out of his MANIPULATION while she was VULNERABLE!!

because of this I think christine would still feel extremely violated by erik, if not physically than emotionally. think about it, he wormed his way into her heart without her consent and because of that the role of redeeming him by becoming his wife (even if he does let her and Raoul go in the end) would leave similar trauma to if she were physically violated. sorry if this makes no sense, im not good at getting my feelings across

[arghzombies]

Where canon Erik and Christine are concerned, there's a LOT of room for interpretation, especially since we don't have a first person account from either one. The narrative framing is that of a detective mystery. The narrator/author is presenting a historical "true" story based on interviews, witness accounts, police investigation files, and historical tabloid articles. However, NONE of these accounts or interviews are from Christine, Erik, or even Raoul, and, as such, one really needs to interrogate the narrator's reliability and biases concerning the way events and motivations are presented.

As presented, though, I'm having a hard time with the idea that Christine was manipulated into having compassion for Erik. Bro is honestly pitiable enough all on his own and the only time he truly weaponises Christine's compassion is at the end with the Grasshopper/Scorpion ultimatum. That said, Christine isn't presented as a passive victim either. Instead, we see her trying to carefully navigate her relationship with two competing and excessively jealous suitors, both of whom she cares about, and neither of whom she wants to see hurt.

While it's fair to assume Christine likely had some manner of emotional trauma afterwards, I don't find the argument compelling that this would equate to physical or sexual trauma.

I'd like to point out that Christine kisses Erik AFTER he releases them both in what I'd argue is a benevolent farewell:

‘I released the young man from the dungeon,’ Erik continued, ‘took him to Christine and watched them embrace in the Louis-Philippe room. Christine was wearing my ring and had agreed to wear it until I died. I had made her swear that, upon my death, she would return to the lake from the Rue Scribe at night, and bury me in absolute secrecy with that gold ring. I told her where she would find my body and what she was to do with it. At this Christine came up to me and for the very first time kissed me on the forehead – don’t look, Daroga! Yes, she kissed me on the forehead and then they were gone. Christine was no longer in tears, but I was weeping, and I wept alone."

Ah, the joys of textual interpretation. 🌹

[ihavegotnotimeforfeelingsorry]

Eivør - UPP ÚR ØSKUNI / RISE FROM THE ASHES

[arghzombies]

Phantom of the Ballpark

[erikoswinoswald]

★ Christine... - Phantom of Opera

[arghzombies]

Gorgeous! I love everything about this. The pose, the expression, the soft pastel sweeps.

Credit to the artist @ishazo

[lonlonranching]

there’s something so funny about the juxtaposition of the canon rik home in leroux vs basically any other production of phantom bc the other productions are usually like WELCOME TO MY WEIRD AND STRANGE SEX DUNGEON (no sex has ever happened there) while leroux rik home is just. normie core house to an extent. like the only thing that truly throws off the feng shui is that it’s a.) underground b.) has in-house torture chamber and c.) he sleeps in a coffin. otherwise the house is equivalent to today’s standards of grey laminate flooring and white prefab shaker cabinets paired with some vintage furniture

[arghzombies]

💯

I love how every single director and screenwriter has decided to completely disregard Leroux's description of Erik's underground home.

Is it because the dated granny flat isn't creepy or sexy enough?

Don't get me wrong, I actually love the idea that Erik would live in a lair that's been decorated with all manner of theatre props and set pieces that he's collected over the years. However, it makes total sense that canonical Erik would absolutely covet some facsimile of the normal life he's been denied. Except for the whole funeral parlour coffin bedroom. My dude, why? Stop trying to out-goth us humble poseurs. 😬

[arghzombies]

Lerik vs Gerik

Source: antiquated.omens on Instagram.

Anyone want to tell him about LND?

[arghzombies]

Storm I & II 🥹

I'm not even sure where to start with describing this video, but let's go with the choreography and the tricky videography that captures it. It's hypnotic and conveys so much visceral emotion, and tentative hope. From a technical perspective, I suspect they're utilising variable speed, and multiple cameras focused on different areas of action, which are then stitched together in post production. This is what gives it the uncanny quality of something that might be AI (because almost everything in frame is also in focus).

And then there's the overall story in the full video:

The story is set at an all boys school in the UK in the near future (2034) and opens to the protagonist moving through a school hall of reposing or unconscious school boys. As he passes, they begin to stir and awaken.

In the next scenes the protagonist seems to cast himself as the schoolyard bully antagonising some of the boys while others begin to admire and assist in his bullying and chaotic revelry (perhaps to avoid being bullied themselves). In this first half of the story he seems to be the epitome of rebelliousness and unrepressed masculinity in a setting notably devoid of any adults. He is the unforgiving storm bringing chaos to listlessness.

The protagonist and his admirers get high on technology (literally), and the tension that has been building culminates in a scene reminiscent of Fight Club with one of the boys finally landing a punch on the protagonist during a fight. We, the viewers, are left in this suspended moment of tension, just like the boys watching the fight, wondering how this will resolve, and the protagonist reveals he might not be quite the brutal bully we assumed at the beginning of the story. He smiles and embraces the boy who fought back, rather than escalating with further violence, and therefore galvanises his status as the leader in the eyes of the other boys. This brings us to the conclusion of the first half of the story with all of the boys arranged around him in confident solidarity.

In the second half of the story, everything flips in a catharsis of some of the most evocative and beautiful choreography I've ever seen. The school boys now move together in an emergence of order from controlled chaos. In contrast, the protagonist stands calm and unaffected at the centre. He is now the eye of the storm.

Like an empty fire Like your desire Like an empty fire Stand tall, go higher

[lonlonranching]

all i ask of you (erik’s version) is never NOT crazy. whether he’s even toned or erratic. whether he’s begging or peacocking. whether he kneels or not. whether he forcefully puts the ring on or just hands it to christine. whether he’s choking back his stomach bile at his last resort elopement or he’s like WHY YES. OKAY. THIS IS SUCCCCH A GOOD IDEA. whether he’s a real living breathing man or roblox skin. whether there’s a table involved for him to climb onto so the people with guns pointed at him can get a better vantage point. whether its coop. it’s all important to me.

[arghzombies]

Preach!! 🙌

The Point of No Return scene and all of the different ways it's played have become a hyper-fixation for me. All of the variants are brilliant. I might need to expound on the narrative brilliance of this scene in a lengthier post at a later time.

[goriasis]

[cinema-phantom]

I WONT SEE THIS ALONE YOU GUYS NEED TO SUFFER WITH ME

[arghzombies]

Good lord. 🥹

@yourbxsicwitch

[arghzombies]

This arrangement of 'The Point of No Return' has me in such a chokehold.

Send help. 🥲

[mourningdollinpink]

change my mind!

[arghzombies]

And I love him, your honour!

[marleneoftheopera]

Two more photos!

x x

[64feet]

I do love it when there's such a sharp contrast between Christine being into it and... not, when she realises it's him

[64feet]

@mysticscorpia all of this is FACT

Honestly ponr is one of the scenes which defines for me how I feel about the Phantom/Christine relationship in any given show and yeah. When she has this moment of so rapidly oscillating between "I'm scared I'm so scared I have to run, but I still like him, I'm scared because I like him? Unholy thoughts, no time to think, help". When she's still attracted to him even after everything that's happened it's just... aaaaaargh

[mysticscorpia]

Aaaaargh!! Yesss!!

It's honestly how I felt so absorbed when I saw it live, and definitely the vibe I got when I saw my Phantom/the Christine and the sudden, and inexplicable change between 'playing pretend because we are Professionals', and the potential of:

Does Christine feel it because the music speaks to her? Is it the pretend of [Someone] being that person to lead her down in this treacherous, dangerous path - (and she can trust that safe, alluring landing)

- And that person happens to be the one who cannot be seen? Visually acceptable? Or the fact it *isn't the handsome Prince who's technically tried to sweep her off her feet?*

Is it because she's a Professional, and she's already acted like this with Piangi, and she's *COMITTED*, whoever is under the cape?

Or has she realised it was him even at the start and is now pretending, that even under the facade, it could be *Him*, but as long as she's not reminded, it was okay? (insert knocking into his mask and then proceeding to Freak. Out.)

Or Take 2) she's realised it's Him, but she cannot in reality be able to comprehend giving him up, because it's *his* piece, his music, and someone should be able to see the genius she has clearly seen and felt? That despite all the atrocities, she cannot simply give him up so easily, until it becomes a breaking point between her fear and what he would do. Once. It. Ends.

All of these interpretations are VALID. And it's what gets me EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

And it alllllsoo matters if our Phantomy boi is MASKING (ha ha) if he's the real deal or not. I.E imitating Piangi's voice or not.

Doesn't Hugh Parano imitate Piangi? I genuinely can't remember which of the Greats did this.

Excellent choices in acting all around. And the combinations are endless.

Anyway, barely coherent ramble back, thank you for your excellent analysis 👑👑🙏

[64feet]

A+ addition, beautiful analysis, no notes. Also! I love that you outlined the possible options for Christine's headspace in this scene because I hadn't even considered the first idea, that she is kind of enticed by the danger of it all.

A personal favourite "oh oops I'm supposed to be Italian" moment from a Phantom actor in this song I've gotta admit is actually from Jon Robyns' recent west end run, I just find it so funny:

Visit Original Link

But yeah I'm pretty sure Hugh did it for a good chunk of his time on broadway too.

Endless combinations indeed!!!